Silo unloader control



April 20, 1954 l.. MAKous sILo UNLOADER coNTRoL 2 -Sheekshut 1 Filed June 28, 1950 BY www/QM ATTORNEYS.

April 20, 1954 L. MAKous 2,675,931

sILo UNLOADER CONTROL FiledJune 28, 195o 2 sheets-sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. Lawrence Malfaus AT TORNE YS.

inventionis designed "to operat a Patented Apr. 20,` 1954 UNITED P"111111' v'O FF ICE yS'ILo UNLoADERooTRUL y *Lawrence 'Makous, Milwau'keafwisg assign'or to LA; 0. Smith Corporatiom-MilWke, Wis., 5a. corporation'ofrNew York AplilcationJnnc'ZS, 1950, '.'SriallNm 1707,15()

This invention 'relates f-to runloading mechan`isn'1's,"ancl particularly to a'devi'ceior automatically controlling "the "drive of a storage 'structure unloa'de'r nin "response to thelloatding of fthe unloader motor.

LAn object "of the v.invention is to vprovide v'an Aunloading 'mechanism which 'will eiiciently' operate to maintain Ta `substantially 'constant "high Y output of stored Vinateria'l "from 'asilo "or similar storage Structure.

Another object of eheinvemiori .to-provide control arrangements 'for automatically preventing protracted overloading of the motor of "a silo u'nloaderor theilike, thereby eliminating'the a silo -unloader 'Whenever-.fthe 'cutterhooksias 'sociated vvithlthearinfbecorne clogged "or jammed but to permit r-engagement ,O' "the "'tat'ngaim drive after the clogging-condltionli'a been'eliniimovement. Y .l .Y

Another obje "tof 'the invention is "toi'povi'de control arrangements resilien'tly conne'ctedto oisengage ftlie 'drive 'of van 'unloading mechanism Aand having ti'mehelay means c delay-disengagement of said 'drive 'ntil 1the 'motor connected thereto has 'been ovrladedffo'i"'.ajrdeterinined .period offline. y' f YAnother object is to. providediive controlling arrangements 'which .are V.extremelysirriile;'airid reliable in operationand which Iriaybeinstalled .The unloading .mechanism coiitrc'illtIY 'by 'the t "the bottom .cia .s'ilo or -similar .storage .struct prises a supporting .arin 'rotated a ,pla'ne ad- .j acent the .silo ffloorl'fby `electric in'otor ac'tng through .a .pavvl ari-d .ratchet driveyfa' 'mother endless chain conveyor is'p'os radial trogh in the oorofthe 'silotoizeoeive Vsilage displaced by `the rotatingA )fand discharge the .same silo. 11n .carrying Y.ont 'thel'i'nve' 'is' "connected :tof dis.engageA the Vam conveyor out-sident the ratchet 'andthls intriluotfth' "otating l ive whenever. the ,convey edfbythe iin -tugged and dammi ."resuit 'riimrroper stage-removal argom@ actora-b toto-tenait..

,Ya soleiroidKA vtion lof the Ydrive, after the clogging condition has lbeenremovedEby the `free vactionoi the Vsepalately drivenrotating arm conveyor. In one emboiment of `the invention the "energization of ythe solenoid "is controlled by a relay vconnected in the Vmotor 4'circuit to respond to the high motor V:current resulting from overloading, While in 'anotherembodim'ent 'the-'solenoid itself is connected in the Vrnotor'circuit for direct response to'oveiload current therein. Y

Other objects and-advantages of the invention will 'be set orth'inorefully inthe following ydescription `of embodiments oi the invention illustrated in 'the V'accompanying drawings.

AIn the drawings: y Figure 'is-atop plan view-ofthesilounloader, showing the solenoid as'connecte'd to the paWl of the pawl and ratchet rotating arm `drive;

.1Fig-f2is a longitudinal 'vertical Ysectionof the silov unloading mechanismjcontrolled yby the* solenoid ncircuits ofth'e invention; Y

Fig. "3 is a-schematic-liagram lof vthe wiring and 'a vportienvof the drive of vone embodiment rof the invention; and l K 14 is "a *diagram of a second embodiment of theinvention;` wherein the relay of the *first ven'ibo'dirnen't lis eliminated.

y "lteferrin'g v'to 4the drawings and `particularly 'to r`Figs. 1 and 2, the unloader controlled by `the 'inventionxis 'arranged at the 'bottomof Aa silo lhaving -a lconcretefoundation `2 With -a radial trough 3 formed therein for the zpurpose of rec'eiving anjeniile'ss chain `type discharge conveyor i4. l:A`cutter-corjlveyor 5 `carried -by a vsupporting frnember sirenas/rotating arm 5 operates `to disfloclge jor displace 'stored "silag-e land deliver the `saine "to .the center of 'the' foundation v'2,so that itfalls into Ithe inner end l'ofkthe trough It and is carried by the'j'conveyord to vaV discharge opening "'8 on vtheou'tside of thestructure.

' 'The Jdischargeopening 8 is .arranged "at 'the outer fend of ia'n..o'verhanginghousing i) Which radiates .'frlom the silo'fiv in 'egistry with (the ftrough In vadd'itnjn Ito `functioning as lacon- Idmtffori fthe .-uaggafter it fieaves the trough s,

thevhousing 9 fserves Eto-support various external elements :of the unloader, includingl a-` transmis- S`0n'hbu'S`ng :tti-having:atreversible electric motor illfsecur'edm itsiippensurface. I

The: discharguconveyor e4 :and v'the cutter-icon- /eyoi '5 are Vbothicl-riveliitlfrroglfia `common :drive comprising a horizontal shaft l2 journallei in the-transmise ihousmgvlf -anuQc-onneetedfty a '1t-and @nietsl *thermal-"11|,afbev gear 1s fre-engagement ortho pwtlfau rump- 'geared starte-t2 #to notate' a-downward-iy extending shaft I4, and a sprocket I disposed at the lower end of shaft I4 in the overhanging housing 9. The sprocket I5 meshes with the endless chain portion I6 of the discharge conveyor 4 and thus drives not only the hook portions I1 of the conveyor but a sprocket I8 which is assembled with the chain I6 at the inner end of the unloader.

The sprocket I8 is mounted at the lower end of a hub I9 which in turn is journalled on a stationary vertical bearing cylinder 20 anchored at the center of the foundation 2. In carrying out the drive for the cutter-conveyor 5, a sprocket 2I is secured at the upper end of the hub I9 and a corresponding sprocket 22 is journalled at the outer end of the rotating arm 6. Both of the sprockets 2l and 22 are assembled with the endless chain portion 23 of the cutter-conveyor 5, so that the cutter hooks 24 of conveyor 5 are moved when the hub I9 is rotated by the endless chain portion I 5 of the discharge conveyor 4.

It is essential to the correct functioning of the invention that the arm Il be rotated by a drive which, although connected to the motor II through the bevel gear I3, is independent of the drive for thel discharge conveyor 4 and cutterconveyor 5. The drive shown in the drawings comprises a small spur gear 25 secured to the hub of the bevel gear I3 within the transmission housing I0, a gear`26 meshedwith the gear 25 and connected through a downwardly extending shaft to an eccentric 21 mounted between the transmission housing I9 and the overhanging housing 9, and a spring loaded connecting member 28 reciprocated 'by the movements of the eccentric 21 to operate a driving pawl 29 and thus a ratchet wheel 3D'. y

The driving pawl 29 is pivotally joined at 3| to the connecting member 28and also to a rocker arm 32 which is journalled on a vertical bearing' member 33 and extends laterally therefrom to accurately position the connecting member.28 and pawl 29.

In order to insure that the'ratchet wheelv 30.

does not rotate backwardly after it has been pushed forward by a reciprocating movement of the driving pawl 29, a stationary pawl 34 is provided diametrically opposite pawl 29. The lpawl 34 is pivotally supported by a laterally extending lmember 33 and into the housing 9 with which the member 33 is integral. Starting at shaft 38, the remainder of the drive for the rotating arm 6 comprises a pair of bevel gears 39, a drive shaft 40 disposed longitudinally of the trough 3, a second pair of bevel gears 4I, a pair of spur gears 42, and a vertical shaft 43 at the center of the foundation 2. The shaft 43 is journalled in the bearing cylinder 20 and bolted at its upper .flanged end to the arm 6 to cause the same to rotate vslowly in a plane adjacent the floor of the silo.

For a more complete description of the silo unloader with which the vinvention is employed,

-reference is made to cO-pelding application Serial No. 98,794, filed June 13, 1949, and now Patent No. 2,635,770, by Julius B. Tiedemann, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

As the arm 6 advances around the bottom of the silo it is resiliently urged against the stored material due to the spring loading of the connecting member 28. The forward pressure thus attained is relatively constant in spite of the fact that the density of the silage, and the degree of packing thereof, varies from place to place so that the silage offers varying resistance to the movement of the arm.

In order to maintain a high silage output when the arm E is moving through a ypocket of relatively tightly packed material it is necessary that the spring loading of member 29 be rather strong, with consequent heavy forward arm pressure. It has been found, however, that such operation frequently causes the cutter-conveyor t to jam and necessitates the presence of an attendant to manually disengage the drive for the rotating arm 6 whenever jamming occurs.

Where the conveyor 5 jams in the absence of an attendant, the motor II becomes overloaded and may cease operating entirely due to the action of the manual reset type overload switch normally found on such motors. The only way to prevent jamming and possible cessation of unloading has been to weaken the spring loading of the member 28, but this is highly undesirable in that it greatly reduces the rate of silage removal.

According to the invention, a solenoid 44 is provided to automatically control the engagement of the driving pawl 29 with ratchet wheel 30 in response to the operative or jammed condition of the cutter-conveyor 5. The drive for the rotating arm 6 is thus interrelated with the operation of conveyor 5 in such a way as to permit the unloader to be operated without an attendant and with the desired strong spring loading of connecting member 28.

Solenoid 44 is mounted on a bracket 45 on housing 9 and has a movable core 46 connected by a spring 41 to pawl 29, so that the energization of the solenoid causes retraction of the core and pawl. In addition to providing a flexible linkage between the core`46 and the reciprocating 'pawl 29, the spring 41 serves to prevent overheating of the solenoid 44 in the event of its energization during a forward stroke of the connecting member 28 when the pawl 29 is held against retraction by the biting of the pawl into the ratchet wheel v30. If the solenoid core t were also held against retraction during this interval, as would occur on the drive stroke of the pawl if the connection between the pawl and solenoid core were not resilient, an excessive current would now in the solenoid due to the low impedance thereof while the core is unretracted. The resilient spring `41 prevents this condition by first permitting the solenoid core to be retracted instantly upon energization of the solenoid and then contracting and pulling the pawl away from the ratchet when it is free for retraction, as during the return stroke of the connection member 28.'

Upon de-energization of the solenoid 44, the pawl 29 ispulled into driving engagement with ratchet wheel 38 by the spring 36 which, although sufficiently strong for this purpose, is weaker than the connectingspring 41.

The drive for the rotating arm 6 could also be interrupted by retracting the stationary pawl 34, in which casel thei ratchet Wheel 39 would imerelybe oscillated back `-and'-'fortli and inopera- "tive instead of beingmovedin a forward direc- 4-tiorvalone l#Referring to-iFig. 3,-the Isolenoid `ll 4' is-connected in series -with-a pairof normally open lrelaycon- `tacts -48 across the l1ines'f49 yand -50 l-whichenergize'the motor t1l. The contacts A48 viorm part uof a current zsensitive'relay l'5I -connected finvthe line 4`9-in series with the motor.-

The design of Vthe --relay v5-I Vis 4such `that Lthe --contacts t'48 *will close at a predetermined 'amperage, for example 'the maximum rated value A"for "the Xmotor, Aand twill -open Lwhen lthe current -`Vbecomes substantially less than this value. "-I-o lprevent relay F51 lfrom operating as 4a #result 'of momentary current-surgesin the motori Lattime Gdelay imeans 1such `as Vfdash 'pot i52 is -vconnected with the relay armature and adjusted `vto-delay openingof contacts 48 -unt'il the motori-.has been overloaded for `assubstantia'l'period of time.

- Infoperationthe arm 6 rotates about vthe'loor A-o'f lthe V'silo and the `cutter-'conveyor f5 r`carried iby -:the arm is operated to 'displace stored fmate- Lrial to fthe inner end 1 of `the trough fordischarge by the conveyor 4. Unless the stored Isilagezis ina nely-divided condition, stalk sect-ionsor intertwined groups thereof may catch on the Yteeth 124-of the conveyor 5 `and clog -the same. Y`WhereIthe spring loading-of connecting memberf28is strongand the forward pressure of #arm 16 lis'flarge,-the1c1ogged teeth `24 will catch in the closelyr-packednsilage and ygreatly `retard `vthe movement lof the conveyor 5, thereby over- Zlo'ading the motor tl and increasing the motor -current corespondingly.

The 1current increase causes fthe relay Y5l to Y jclose=its contacts 48, which results in the enerlgization 'vof -solenoid "4'4 andthe interruption, as rpreviously described, of the -drive `for the rotating arm 6. `rIhefcessation of arm Vmovement Iallows the separately driven conveyor 5 to con- 4tinue :in emotion and A'clear la path '-in thesilage, unimpeded by the biting fo`f-teeth 124 into the r`vsilage mass, and to freeitself of thestalk clogs lby rubbing them against the lsilage mass and causingthem todrop into the trough 3.

Y IThe resulting reduction 'in motor *load oper- Jates 3through relay 5l to cle-energize solenoid "'44 and effect resumption of therotating armdrive. The discharge of silage continues substantially constant, even during the described interval of V'interrupted farm motion, due to the lfact lthe conveyor `f5 in clearing itself continues to feed `si-lage =to the discharge -conveyor 4.

"Ina second embodiment ofthe invention, illustrated -in Fig.f4, the relay 5| of the rst-embodi- 'ment is not employed and the solenoid 144' isl con- "nected -inthe 'line "49 in serieslwith the motor lil. Asf'in the case of the first "embodiment, adash vpot-53 vis employed to prevent driveinterruption fdueto momentary-current surges. The solenoid "441s thus, Ain essence, 'used as -a :current .relay VVAYto attract its `core 4E atv-a predetermined current 'valueand release itfatfa substantially lower value. *Ilfief'operation'of the modied form fof 'the invention, except -for the V:eliminationidf thefin'termediate `relay, fis fthe same vas was described in connection ,with the iirst embodiment. v

"'Inttl're event ofthe total zjamming v'of the cutterconveyorfl and .consequent:completelstoppage of motor lH it may be necessary 4to reverse the-motor fini-order teclear the teeth .24 .and restore the zmechanismjo operating condition. rIhis lreverswhichisfbeferebly Performed Withthfdtiving pawl 29 in disengaged position, maybe -eone'eithermanuany .or `with an automatic-era =versing switch responsivel to ymoto-r fconditions.

"Ifhearrangementsdescribed'inlconnectionf-with "both -embedimentsflofl invention constitute 5 extremely simple '-Ways of preventing 2jamming andof =maintainingtheoutputfo asilo uril'oader at aslibstantiallyconstant value. n*Becauseofthe v'slight force Vreqriireazi to retract the pawl and interrupt the vrotating #arm drive, 'lthe solenoids l0 employed may be relatively small Jand the cost o' installingthe invention relatively'little.

`Various,-elnbodin-lentst of the invention mayf-be employed witlfrin thescop'e jof @the-faccompanying claims.

l-laiim y "1. 3In ya mechanism for unloading Asilos vand Asimilar jstorage structures, sa supporting "member mcmntedin ythe si-lo for #movement against the materialfiieingstored, =a displacing arrangement 20 .'carriedbysaid'supporting memberand operable to 4successively displace portions of the stored "material fordischarge from the silo, -ane'lectric f'rnotor, a r driveconnecting -said supporting memy 'ber andi said electric motor `'and including a clutch moans to yinterrupt-the forward movementofthe supporting member, a yseparate drive operatively connecting 'said -motor and said displacing arrangement, means responsive =to the electr-ical Aconditions in theecircuit of -saidrnotor'resulting' 3@ from kythe l.load thereon to rdise'ngage `said -clutch means and interrupt'sa-id supporting "member drive when said displacing arrangement is yjammed 'and the motor is vvheavily loaded, -and means to -eiect live-engagement of -the clutch H3 means-and` resumption of the supporting -memb'er drive when the motor load lhas t'been decreased by the free Aoperation of Lsaid Adisplacing arrangement. i 2. Ina Lmechanismfor unloading'stored mate- 40 rial from silos 1and''sinfrilar 'storage structures, van arm pivotal-ly mounted in thesilo for lrotation about )a vertical axis, a conveyor yarrangement carried by-said -a-rm yand 'operable tpe-successively Adislodge port-ionsof the'stored lmaterial andcon- Vvey `the Asame away from -"the initial `locations thereof, van-felectric motor, a drive connecting said Trota-ting `arm and sa-idfelectric -motor i and 'inclu`ding-a ratchet-and a pawl normally heldin driving engagement `'withsaid ratchet ibut movable to a disengaged -positionj-to linterrupt the forward movement of rsaid rotating arm, aseparate drive connecting 'said conveyor larrangement and said Tractor,means fresponsive vto Ithe electrical 'conditionsin thejcircuit lof saidmotor resulting'frorn the-load thereon to `rnc-ve 'said'.pawl and thereby to interrupt saidrotating arm drive'when said rconveyor arrangement is jammed vand vthe` motor "is heavily loaded, and means A'to eiect're-.engagev1rnent'otithe pawl and lresumption of the vvarm o drive when the motor vload has -been decreased -byjthe free Yop'era'tionof said'conveyor arrange- :llezlt- I Y f t3. In Ja mechanism A'for unloading d*silos v"and *similar storage struicturesya supporting member '65 v'mounted in the 'silo for movement a'gainst'the "materialbeing stored, `a v'displacing 'arrangement carried by said supporting member and voperable "to successively "displace portions of the 'stored V'material Afor "discharge 'from the silo, an :electric 'motor, `a drive Aconnectingsaid supporting memiberfandsaid electriemotor 'and including a clutch means'tointerrupt 'the forward movement `ofi-he supportingjmember, a separate driveoperativ'ely rangement; a solenoid electrically connected (for response to the amount of current flowing insald motor, and a movable core for said solenoid, said solenoid and core being operable to disengage said clutch means when said displacing arrangement is clogged and the motor is drawing a large current, and means to re-engage said clutch means when the load on the motor has been decreased and the flow of current therein diminished by the free operation of said separately driven displacing arrangement.

4. In a mechanism for unloading silos and similar storage structures, a supporting member -mounted in the silo for movement against the material being stored, a displacing arrangement carried by said supporting member and operable to successively displace portions of the stored material for discharge from the silo, an electric motor, a drive connecting said supporting member and said electric motor and including a ratchet wheel and a pawl normally held in driving engagement with said wheel but movable to a retracted position to interrupt the forward movement of the supporting member, a separate drive operatively connecting said motor and said displacing arrangement, a solenoid mounted adjacent said pawl and operable to cause the same to move between its driving and retracted positions, and a relay connected in the circuit of said motor vand having contacts connected to control the energization of said solenoid, said relay operating upon jamming of said displacing arrangement and consequent increase in motor current to cause the solenoid to retract said pawl from vsaid wheel, and means to re-engage said pawl with said wheel and effect resumption of the forward movement of the supporting member upon clearing of the obstructing condition and decrease in motor current.

5. Apparatus of the character described comprising an arm pivoted at the axis of the silo and extending outwardly therefrom for rotation thereabout, a rst conveyor mounted on said arm and operable to convey stored material radially and inwardly to said axis, a second conveyor mounted to convey said stored material from said axis to the exterior of the silo, an electric motor, a drive connecting said arm and saidmotor and including a ratchet and a pawl normally held in driving engagement with said ratchet but movable to a disengaged position for interruption of the forward movement of the rotating arm, driving means separate from said rotating arm drive and operatively connectingsad motor and said conveyors, a solenoid mounted adjacent said pawl and resiliently connected therewith to cause the same to move between its driving and disengaged positions, and a relay connected in series with said motor and having contacts connected to control the fenergization of said solenoid, said relay operating upon jamming of said iirst conveyor and consequent increase in motor current current.

6. Ina mechanism for unloading silos and similar storage structures, a supporting member 'mounted in the silo for movement against the material being stored, a displacing arrangement carried by said supporting member and operable to successively displace portions of the stored material for discharge from the silo, an electric motor, Va drive vconnecting said supporting mein- 2,430,2 c3 Bailey l Aber and saidjeleotric vmotor andincluding a ratchet wheel and a pawl normally held in driving engagement with said wheel but movable to a retracted position to interrupt the forward movement of the supporting member, a separate drive operatively connecting said motor and said displacing arrangement, a solenoid mounted adjacent said pawl and operable to move the same between its driving and retracted positions, said solenoid being connected in series with said motor and adjusted to retract said pawl from said wheel when said displacing arrangement is clogged and the current in said motor is relatively large, and means to re-engage said pawl with said wheel when the motor load has been decreased and the yiiow of current therein diminished by the free operation of said separately driven displacing arrangement.

7. Apparatus of the character described zomprsing an arm pivoted at the axis of the sild and extending outwardly therefrom for rotation thereabout, a rst conveyor mounted on said arm and operable to convey stored material radially and inwardly to said axis, a second conveyor mounted in the silo to receive stored material from said first conveyor and convey the same from said axis to the exterior of the silo, an electric motor, a drive connecting said arm and said motor and including a ratchet and a pawl normally held in driving engagement with said ratchet but movable to a disengaged position'for interruption of the forward movement of said rotating arm, driving means separate from said rotating arm drive and operatively connecting said motor and said conveyors, and a solenoid mounted adjacent said pawl and resiliently connected therewith to cause the same to move between its driving and disengaged positions, said solenoid being connected in the circuit of said motor for response to the amount of current flowing therethrough and consequently to the loading thereof resulting from the free or jammed condition of said first conveyor.

8. In a mechanism for unloading silos and similar storage structures, a supporting member mounted in the silo for movement against the material being stored, a displacing arrangement -retracted position to interrupt the forward movement of the supporting member, a separate drive operatively connecting said motor and said displacing arrangement, a solenoid mounted adjacent said-pawl and operably associated therewith to cause the same to move between its driving and disengaged positions, circuit means connecting vsaid solenoid and said motor to control the criergization of the solenoid in response to currbnt conditions in the motor resulting from the j mming of said displacing arrangement, and time delay means to'preventoperation of said pawl by momentary current surges in-said motor.

References Cited in the file of .this patent UNITED STATES .PATENTS Number l Name Daten 1,040,863 B laxter Oct. 8, 1912 1,469,802 'Mellenthln n. Y Oct, 8, 1923 Nov. 4, 19e? 

